Papers by Sambhu Nath Halder, Ph.D.
IISRR- International Journal of Research, 2025
Purpose: This research investigates the influence of gamification on information literacy and use... more Purpose: This research investigates the influence of gamification on information literacy and user engagement in academic libraries. The emphasis is on the design, execution and outcomes of a gamified intervention intended to enhance interactive learning experiences, patron engagement, information literacy skills, cooperation and competence development.
Design/methodology/approach: A dual-method approach is employed, combining a comprehensive literature review with a qualitative case study. Data are gathered from librarians, library users and participants in gamification initiatives using a structured schedule. The collected data are then examined, categorized, presented and interpreted to fulfill the study's goals. Finally, a systematic framework for the introduction of gamification in academic libraries is proposed, aiming to advance user engagement and nurture interactive learning.
Findings: The research demonstrates that gamification including challenges and competition-significantly stimulates user engagement with library resources, improves information literacy abilities, fosters cooperation and facilitates the acquisition of new competencies. Digital platforms enhance the efficacy of gamification by making library interventions more captivating and accessible. However, the study highlights challenges related to planning and execution, emphasizing the need for a supportive culture and consideration of varied learning styles.
Originality/value: This research investigates transformational relevance of gamification in academic libraries. It proposes four primary concepts for integrating gamification: increasing usage, incorporating growing technologies, obtaining user feedback and managing data privacy. By describing fundamental aspects, primary methods, important implementation areas and intended results, the proposed framework provides as a roadmap for library professionals looking to incorporate gamification into their services.
LIBRARIAN, 2013
This paper covers a use study of the Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs) at the University Li... more This paper covers a use study of the Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs) at the University Libraries of West Bengal. Highlights the subject access for Bengali documents in OPACs. It finds that most of the users are postgraduate students and that the majority of users are male. The result reveals that the search experience using subject headings was not satisfactory. Keyword search rather performs better, but due to the redundancy of search, it is hard to retrieve required documents in the least possible time. It is also revealed that fewer perform known-item searches and their success rates for these searches are generally good. Thus, the findings demand a standardised and uniform vocabulary control device for making subject headings for Bengali documents in OPACs.
Emerging Trends for SMART Libraries, 2019
Digital data is easy to create, alter, and manipulate. It is also easy to share widely over the i... more Digital data is easy to create, alter, and manipulate. It is also easy to share widely over the internet. Advocates of the open access movement have been working within an intricate framework. It has been rigged toward publishers for quite a while, not users or (often) even content creators. Open access to resources has become an issue of immense interest and debate among the library, publisher, and scholarly communities. This paper discusses various issues of open access initiatives and assesses them from the librarians’ point of view, indeed, the present condition of legitimate open access faces challenges from distributors and administrative foundations. Nowadays, additional legitimate record sharing is rising day by day. Library professionals are now effectively utilising these resources, tools, and services in an integrated way to improve the existing services and design new-generation library services. It concludes that important issues like open archiving must be emphasised by policymakers to cope with the changing paradigm.
Users’ Attitudes towards Institutional Repository in Jadavpur University: A Critical Study
International Journal of Management and Sustainability, Oct 17, 2012
This paper examines the user-aware of institutional repositories in Jadavpur University. The main... more This paper examines the user-aware of institutional repositories in Jadavpur University. The main objective of this study is to investigate the awareness of Institutional Repository (IR) in an academic institution and different aspects associated with it, such as, software, sources for user’s awareness, motivators for developing a repository, demand of the users in changing paradigms from traditional to digital environment, etc. In the present days, libraries are also adopting the latest technologies to provide best possible services in user friendly form. This paper also describes the potential role of institutional repositories and its easiness and simplicity of use are attracting more patrons in the use of institutional repositories. Only a wide range of user awareness is needed for proper usage of its beauty. Entirely this paper is based on a critical study, which measures the utility of institutional repositories in users’ point of view.
Marketing of information products and services in Indian R&D library and information centres
Library Management, 2004
The present paper reflects the gradual change in the need and use of the marketing concepts in li... more The present paper reflects the gradual change in the need and use of the marketing concepts in libraries and information centres (LICs) and its fruitful effects in the service to the library users, and studies marketing of information products/services in LICs of R&D institutions of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) of India. The paper discusses the role of these LICs including marketing approach, need and application of a marketing program with the help of a survey. For the survey, data were collected through a detailed mailed questionnaire along with interviews. The findings reveal that librarians have a positive attitude towards the different aspects of marketing of a library's information products/services. The study recommends that currently efforts for increasing user‐awareness and separate financial support are requisite for efficient marketing. Instead of scattered approaches and different styles, a coherent view must be taken.
DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 2010
Study investigates the performances of Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs) in retrieval of Be... more Study investigates the performances of Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs) in retrieval of Bengali documents by subject. Traces general search functionalities, subject retrieval, subject display in the bibliographic record, merits and demerits of the systems. Emphasises on the search fields, labelling of the fields, complexity of subject searching and customised display format of the OPACs. The comparative performances of the OPACs in retrieval of Bengali documents by subject are assessed using the scores calculated in terms of binary code, i.e. 0 and J. Findings suggest the scope for multilingual retrieval capability ill the software for the OPACs need to be utilised fully for retrieval of Bengali documents by subject. Besides, implementation of cluster subject browsing facility in OPACs may overcome the complexity of subject searching. Customised display format and uniform labelling of the fields are to be considered as pre-requisites for optimal use of the OPACs. The user int...
The purpose of this study was to explore the trends of publication patterns in Library and Inform... more The purpose of this study was to explore the trends of publication patterns in Library and Information Science research using bibliometric review. The areas of the Bibliometrics review are contributions of current research, use of citations, length of articles, use of illustrations, authorship patterns, geographical and chronological distribution of contributions, etc. Two national journals were selected as source journals, i.e. IASLlC Bulletin and Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS). A structured schedule had been prepared to record data through content analysis of the articles published during the years 2010-2014. All issues of the journals have been collected and examined methodically. The remit of the study can help the stakeholders in this field to understand the patterns of current research.
International Journal of Knowledge Content Development and Technology, 2020
The library provides its services to satisfy the user’s approach. This study is done to assess us... more The library provides its services to satisfy the user’s approach. This study is done to assess users’ attitudes towards the retrieval of the Bengali document in OPAC through subject headings. It also traces users’ perceptions regarding subject access highlighting the problems in the retrieval of Bengali documents by subject in OPACs. It can be inferred that some features are required to be incorporated to improve the functionality of the OPACs and thereby to satisfy users’ requirements. Results revealed that search experience using subject headings is not satisfactory. Keywords search rather performs better but due to redundancy of search, it is hard to retrieve required documents in the least possible time. It is also revealed that fewer perform known-item searches and their success rates for these searches are generally good. Thus, the findings demand standard principles and rules for the construction of Bengali Subject Headings. As per the need of new-age users, an efficient OPAC...
Assessment of Reading Habits of Public Library Users in the Digital Era: An Empirical Study
In the Context of rapid increase in electronic resources the reading habits of the public library... more In the Context of rapid increase in electronic resources the reading habits of the public library user community are examined. A representative sample was drawn from a large and heterogeneous population following a stratified sampling technique. The reading habits of the users were identified using several parameters adopted to achieve the objectives of the study. Findings of the study revealed that 41.82% of respondents visit the library 2-4 times per month, followed by 22.05% used to visit it 2-3 times per week, while only 16.82% of the respondents visit the library almost regularly. However, the study indicated that electronic documents have an important role in enhancing people's reading habits. It is recommended that the library needs to emphasize on collecting both printed as well as digital resources. While reading habits of public library users are stable, they were quite comfortable reading in a digital environment.
Library and Information Science professionals portrayed as the bridge between clients and informa... more Library and Information Science professionals portrayed as the bridge between clients and information. Keeping in mind the end goal to assume the part of an extension, LIS professionals have a clear understanding of the needs of the users and the knowledge of relevant information resources of the bridge. Library functions as an knowledge organization i.e., purchasing knowledge resources after these are suitably identified and located, organised and disseminated, analysed, interpreted and granted the outcomes to its users or clients in the way they like other than exhibiting the units of the knowledge resource as they may need, demand and require. Information produced finds its way to the marketplace. The tusk of "Putting knowledge to work" is dealt with as a task of marketing of a service. Knowledge emerges from information. Thus, the term information has been used from this point forward. Role of marketing manager can be link with the job performing by LIS professionals l...
A critical study of the library facilities provided by the private engineering colleges in Kolkata
Present research covers a systematic study of Institutional Digital Repository in Jadavpur Univer... more Present research covers a systematic study of Institutional Digital Repository in Jadavpur University. This study has shown that the large number of people needs a global awareness and understanding of institutional digital repository and different aspects associated with it, such as, software, sources for user’s awareness, motivators for developing a repository, demand of the users in changing paradigm from traditional to digital environment, etc. In the present days, libraries are also adopting the latest technologies to provide best possible services in user friendly form. This paper also describes the potential role of institutional repositories and its easiness and simplicity of use are attracting more patrons to the use of institutional repositories. Only a wide range of user awareness is needed to proper usage of its beauty. Eventually, it is recommended that the library authority should continue to organise seminars, workshops and user awareness programme to educate potentia...
Research study encompasses the library facilities provided by the engineering colleges to its sta... more Research study encompasses the library facilities provided by the engineering colleges to its stakeholders. To pursue this study, combination of methods was adopted step by step. The survey method was employed to collect the required data. A structured questionnaire was prepared and a sample study has been done for this purpose. Besides these, relevant data are collected from observation of the libraries, annual report of the libraries, etc. Quantitative data collected in this study were analyzed, using descriptive statistics. It also highlights the gaps between available library services and information demand of the users. Basically, the entire paper summarizes different areas associated with the library services, such as, the frequency of library use, type of library material used, standard of
This paper highlights the growth patterns of Library and Information Science literature on the ba... more This paper highlights the growth patterns of Library and Information Science literature on the basis of bibliometric study. Effort have been made to analyze the articles of IASLIC Bulletin published from the year 2003 to 2007. The investigation focuses on distribution of contributions, authorship pattern of contributions, distribution of references, analysis of length of literature, distribution of illustrations used, state wise distribution of contributions and subject trends of the articles, etc. Different graphical representations have been used as and when needed to reveal the real field scenarios. It contains details findings of the entire study and ends with conclusion.
The use of subject headings for Bengali documents in online public access catalogue
Multimodal roles of library and information science professionals in present era
Innovation and development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and different lib... more Innovation and development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and different library software and its application in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) create changes in entire library management system. The present study highlights the present scenarios of LIS profession and the professionals in this changing environment. The new roles of LIS professionals especially as advocate, consortia manager, consultant, content manager, facilitator, guide/teacher, intermediary, knowledge manager, researcher, sifter, web designer are discussed. Roles of government bodies, professional organizations and LIS schools to upgrade the managerial skills of LIS professionals to be fit for the changed situation are discussed. The study reveals the prospects and opportunities to cope with the changes in Library world from traditional to digital environment.
Empirical study on subject-based information retrieval with special reference to Bengali documents
Pearl : A Journal of Library and Information Science
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Papers by Sambhu Nath Halder, Ph.D.
Design/methodology/approach: A dual-method approach is employed, combining a comprehensive literature review with a qualitative case study. Data are gathered from librarians, library users and participants in gamification initiatives using a structured schedule. The collected data are then examined, categorized, presented and interpreted to fulfill the study's goals. Finally, a systematic framework for the introduction of gamification in academic libraries is proposed, aiming to advance user engagement and nurture interactive learning.
Findings: The research demonstrates that gamification including challenges and competition-significantly stimulates user engagement with library resources, improves information literacy abilities, fosters cooperation and facilitates the acquisition of new competencies. Digital platforms enhance the efficacy of gamification by making library interventions more captivating and accessible. However, the study highlights challenges related to planning and execution, emphasizing the need for a supportive culture and consideration of varied learning styles.
Originality/value: This research investigates transformational relevance of gamification in academic libraries. It proposes four primary concepts for integrating gamification: increasing usage, incorporating growing technologies, obtaining user feedback and managing data privacy. By describing fundamental aspects, primary methods, important implementation areas and intended results, the proposed framework provides as a roadmap for library professionals looking to incorporate gamification into their services.